terryt@auvax.UUCP (Terry Tanski) (09/15/87)
I posted the inquiry about the Tandy 1000TX because I wanted to find out some information about the machine not argue about how compatible it is with an IBM PC. I own a Tandy 1000A and had real problems at first. Then I added the piece of **essential** hardware that Tandy left out -- the DMA chip. After I added this chip and some more memory, I have not found a program yet that does not run on it. I have 640K, a hard disk card and a 2400 baud modem in it and I find I have no problems with reboots or the like because of the supposed weeeak power supply. Anyways, I didn't want to hear about how BAD my machine was, only what is the SCOOP on the new 1000TX with the 80286 processer. I still would like to hear about any comments anyone has on the 1000TX! Terry Tanski, B.CompSc
joeld@ecsvax.UUCP (Joel Dunn) (09/18/87)
In article <323@auvax.UUCP>, terryt@auvax.UUCP (Terry Tanski) writes: > I posted the inquiry about the Tandy 1000TX because I wanted to find out some . . > Anyways, I didn't want to hear about how BAD my machine was, only what is > the SCOOP on the new 1000TX with the 80286 processer. > > I still would like to hear about any comments anyone has on the 1000TX! At our local campus computer show, I asked a Tandy rep about the 1000TX. I had seen one briefly a few days before, so I had a couple of questions. As far as I am concerned, the biggest problem is the fact the TX uses a short card cage, and thus can accept only half cards or Tandy cards. I had hoped that they learned their lesson with the early 1000xx and wouldn't do that again. Hope springs eternal, but that's the way Tandy likes to do things. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Joel Dunn, UNC-CH ADP, 440 W. Franklin, Chapel Hill NC 27514 {backbone}!mcnc!ecsvax!joeld Bitnet: RJD@UNC -------------------------------------------------------------------
scoop@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU (Cooper Steve S2F x3560) (04/29/91)
Hi, I've got an OLD Tandy 1000 (not '1000A'), and have a hard-drive-on-a-card inside it from the Hard Drive Specialist, and a Tandy 286 Express card in it. There is (was) a ROM BIOS upgrade for the 1000 a while back which I never did. I am experiencing all sorts of wierdness (have been for some time, just too lazy to fix) from having "Invalid COMMAND.COM... System Halted" to hanging the system on boot-up. I should also add that this has only happened with upper DOS versions (> 3.0), and I have been told that the original ROMs (on the motherboard) do NOT work with the upper DOS versions (the upgrade is required). However, I don't think te motherboard ROMs are being used, since there are ROMs on the hard drive card. These are the ROMs I think I should replace, not the ones on the motherboard. What I'd like to know is: a) Is Hard Drive Specialist still around? b) Was there an upgraded BIOS ROM from them? c) Would replacing the ROMs on the motherboard do any good? d) Are there any suggestions? (Please don't tell me to add: "COMSPEC=c:\command.com or the SHELL environment variable for the Error listed above. These are NOT the problem(s). Thanks) Thanks in advance to any and all responses. Steve Cooper scoop@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu -- Steve Cooper scoop@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu
jcburt@ipsun.larc.nasa.gov (John Burton) (04/30/91)
In article <409@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU> scoop@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU (Cooper Steve S2F x3560) writes: > >Hi, > > I've got an OLD Tandy 1000 (not '1000A'), and have a >hard-drive-on-a-card inside it from the Hard Drive Specialist, and a Tandy >286 Express card in it. There is (was) a ROM BIOS upgrade for the 1000 >a while back which I never >did. I am experiencing all sorts of wierdness (have been for some time, [...much about wierdness deleted...] >there are ROMs on the hard drive card. These are the ROMs I think I should >replace, not the ones on the motherboard. What I'd like to know is: [...] >-- > > Steve Cooper > scoop@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu Ummm...Steve...The wierdness you are seeing probably *is* due to the wrong motherboard ROM version...when they said that the ROM wouldn't support > DOS 3.0 they probably had a good reason for saying so. True, the hard disk card/controller has a ROM BIOS on it, but that is ONLY concerned with the hard disk drive, not with everything else the motherboard BIOS handles. Putting a hard disk into an original Tandy 1000 faces two problems...the 1000's ROM BIOS had NO provision for a hard disk in it, and the power supply is too small. You can probably survive the inadequate power supply for awhile, but without the BIOS support, you're SOL...to get around this the hard drive card manufacturer put the BIOS for the hard disk on the controller, with a tie-in to the motherboard BIOS (it executes the the controller BIOS instead of a portion of the motherboard bios). In short, BOTH the ROM BIOS on the controller, and the ROM BIOS on the mother board are used. The wierdness you see is more than likely the result of the motherboard ROM version / DOS version mismatch... good luck... John +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | John Burton | | G & A Technical Software | | jcburt@gatsibm.larc.nasa.gov | | jcburt@cs.wm.edu | | | | Disclaimer: Hey, what can I say...These are *my* views, not those | | of anyone else, be they employer, school, or government| +--------------------------------------------------------------------+